Elevating Governance, Achieving Excellence: Advancing Quality Private School Education

     With the nation’s rapid education development, Hong Kong's education system is also undergoing a crucial transformation, striving to become an international education hub.  Hong Kong’s education system has long valued diversified development.  Private schools, which offer formal curriculum (including international schools, hereafter referred to as “private schools”) and operate on a self-financing basis, are an important part of our education system.  They continuously provide parents with more options on education and promote the continuous innovation and flourishing development of the local education ecosystem.  To further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international education hub, the Education Bureau (EDB) is actively establishing a clearer regulatory framework and consistent standards, encouraging the industry to continuously enhance the quality of education.  This will safeguard students’ well-being and protect parents’ rights and interests, laying a more solid foundation for the long-term and healthy development of private education in Hong Kong.

Balancing school flexibility with parental expectations

     To further improve the standards of private school operation and align with the promotion of the internationalisation of basic education, the Chief Executive announced in the Policy Address 2025 the formulation of the Code of Practice for Private Schools (the Code) and the publication of the Private School List (the List).  This manifests the Government’s commitment to the development of private education and further establishment of a more comprehensive and systematic framework.

     For years, Hong Kong private schools have consistently demonstrated flexibility in responding to students’ diverse learning needs in areas such as the language of instruction, curriculum design, and public examination choices.  The EDB fully understands the market-driven nature of private schools and their distinct operational ecology compared to publicly funded schools, and therefore has formulated a voluntary listing system.  With the implementation of the Code and the List, the aim is to place private school education on a more robust and sustainable optimisation track while maintaining diversified development, so that parents can make school choices on a firmer ground and with greater confidence.

     Following the release of the Code on January 30 this year, which provides private schools with clear operational and management standards to follow, the EDB issued today (April 14) a circular memorandum to publish the conditions for listing in the Private School List and invite private schools to join the List.  This further encourages schools to pursue excellence and helps form a positive cycle of healthy competition and continuous improvement.

     The EDB has established the Advisory Committee on Private Schools (the Committee), comprising non-official members from the tertiary, school, and legal sectors, as well as a parent representative.  The Committee, which gives advice to the EDB on matters related to private schools, held its first meeting this March.  Members of the Committee deliberated on the criteria for private schools to be included on the Private School List and offered valuable views and suggestions that balanced the market-driven operations of private schools with students’ wellbeing and parents’ rights.

     Intending schools for inclusion in the List are required to meet certain standards in three key areas.  The areas include compliance with relevant legislation and requirements like the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279), the Education Regulations (Cap. 279A), and the Code; good school governance; and the safeguarding of the interests and rights of key stakeholders (including students and parents).  The schools must also submit an application form to the EDB.  The Committee will recommend a proposed list of schools to the EDB for final vetting.  The EDB will upload the approved schools’ information to the EDB’s dedicated webpage for inclusion in the List, including basic information, curricula offered, and school fees.  The entire assessment mechanism is built not only on a unified framework but also maintains appropriate flexibility to account for differences in scale and positioning across various types of private schools, ensuring a comprehensive and feasible register system.

Voluntary participation and shared commitment: Optimising school choice

     The List is implemented on a voluntary basis, with the emphasis on establishing a clear register mechanism that can be referred to.  This design reflects a careful policy balance between “regulation” and “autonomy”.  Through clear standards and a voluntary participation mechanism, the public will gain a better understanding of compliant private schools.

     Voluntary participation offers schools a clear path for growth.  Schools can plan their development and raise governance based on their current situation and gradually meet the standards for inclusion in the List.  By participating in the List, private schools demonstrate their commitment to excellence to parents and society, helping them build a reputation in a competitive market.

     The EDB encourages compliant private schools to actively apply for inclusion on the List to demonstrate their commitment to continuously improving governance and give parents greater confidence.  For schools, inclusion in the List is not only a recognition of past efforts, but also a demonstration of the school’s commitment to governance standards, student protection, and operational transparency to the outside world, thereby helping the school gain parents’ trust.

     In addition, joining the List reflects a positive attitude toward working in partnership between schools and the EDB to promote the high-quality development of private school education, providing parents with a clear and reliable reference point.  The List is expected to become an important platform for encouraging the industry to improve quality, so that more compliant private schools will gain recognition.

     In a market-driven environment, the information that parents need most should be clear and easy to grasp.  The EDB’s promotion of the List follows a core idea, which is: enabling parents to choose suitable schools more conveniently and clearly, using the List as an important reference indicator.  Behind the List lies the fact that schools have reached a certain standard in key areas such as compliance, governance, and safeguarding the interests of major stakeholders, and that they also commit to continuing to meet the relevant requirements, providing parents with information of reference value, reducing difficulties in school selection caused by insufficient information.

Work together: Every step counts

     On March 18 and 20 this year, the EDB met with various representatives from the industry to explain the concrete arrangements for the List and to thank all parties for their strong support.  In addition, to help private schools better understand the requirements and the application procedures for joining the List, the EDB will organise an online briefing session on April 23.

     Education is the foundation for a successful future.  From the formulation of the Code to the implementation of the List, every step reflects the shared responsibility of the Government, the industry, and society for the quality of education for the next generation.  As long as all parties work together, uphold professionalism, and adhere to the rules, the List will help private education reach a higher level, earning the trust of parents and society.  It will enable Hong Kong’s quality education to fully leverage its strengths, attract and nurture outstanding talent in a well-rounded way, and consolidate Hong Kong’s position as an international education hub.

     The EDB will continue to collaborate with all sectors to build consensus and enhance the governance level of private schools.

April 14, 2026